Pompeii begins gladiator domus restoration

An elaborate restoration of a ruin once home to gladiators in the hours before they embarked on bouts to the death has got underway in Pompeii, five years after its collapse raised serious questions about the management of the famous UNESCO site. 

Restoration work on the gladiator domus at Pompeii has begun, five years  after it collapsed [Credit: Archaeological site of Pompeii] 

The gladiator domus, or Schola Armaturarum, on Pompeii's central Via dell'Abbondanza, was a building in which gladiators once kept their weapons and trained before battle. 

More recently, it was a site once much admired by visitors thanks to its stunning, military-themed frescoes. 

However, the impressive domus was transformed into a heap of rubble and dust on the morning of November 6th 2010, following a night of heavy rainfall.

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Long-lost Roman roads discovered on flood maps: Hi-tech Lidar data reveals the route of 2,000-year-old highways across Britain

History sleuths: Maps of the UK, designed to detect the regions most at risk of flooding, are also helping amateur archaeologists to unearth previously undiscovered Roman roads. Pictured, file image of archaeologists at the ruins of a Roman site in Colchester

Aerial flood maps of Britain are revealing more than just at-risk regions - they have also led to the discovery of several Roman roads.

Amateur archaeologists have been able to use the flood-mapping technology to trace the paths of Roman roads which have remained buried under the land for some 1,600 years.

The aerial flood maps were created by aircraft equipped with laser scanners which measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground.

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UK flood maps reveal lost Roman roads

Aerial flood maps of Britain are revealing more than just at-risk regions - they have also led to the discovery of several Roman roads. 

Maps of the UK, designed to detect the regions most at risk of flooding, are also  helping amateur archaeologists to unearth previously undiscovered Roman roads.  Pictured, file image of archaeologists at the ruins of a Roman site  in Colchester [Credit: PA] 

Amateur archaeologists have been able to use the flood-mapping technology to trace the paths of Roman roads which have remained buried under the land for some 1,600 years. 

The aerial flood maps were created by aircraft equipped with laser scanners which measure the distance between the aircraft and the ground. 

Using light detection and ranging (Lidar) technology, the Environment Agency was able to detect the areas of Britain which are most at risk of flooding.

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Roman toilets gave no clear health benefit, and Romanisation actually spread parasites

The Romans are well known for introducing sanitation technology to Europe around 2,000 years ago, including public multi-seat latrines with washing facilities, sewerage systems, piped drinking water from aqueducts, and heated public baths for washing. Romans also developed laws designed to keep their towns free of excrement and rubbish. 

Roman latrines from Lepcis Magna in Libya  [Credit: Craig Taylor] 

However, new archaeological research has revealed that—for all their apparently hygienic innovations—intestinal parasites such as whipworm, roundworm and Entamoeba histolytica dysentery did not decrease as expected in Roman times compared with the preceding Iron Age, they gradually increased. 

The latest research was conducted by Dr Piers Mitchell from Cambridge's Archaeology and Anthropology Department and is published today in the journal Parasitology. The study is the first to use the archaeological evidence for parasites in Roman times to assess "the health consequences of conquering an empire".

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Ancient Roman toilets did not improve sanitation

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE—The Romans are well known for introducing sanitation technology to Europe around 2,000 years ago, including public multi-seat latrines with washing facilities, sewerage systems, piped drinking water from aqueducts, and heated public baths for washing. Romans also developed laws designed to keep their towns free of excrement and rubbish.

However, new archaeological research has revealed that—for all their apparently hygienic innovations—intestinal parasites such as whipworm, roundworm and Entamoeba histolytica dysentery did not decrease as expected in Roman times compared with the preceding Iron Age, they gradually increased.

The latest research was conducted by Dr Piers Mitchell from Cambridge's Archaeology and Anthropology Department and is published today in the journal Parasitology. The study is the first to use the archaeological evidence for parasites in Roman times to assess "the health consequences of conquering an empire".

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Unearthing Roman 'nerve centre' in Spain

Archaeologists have begun uncovering the remains of what they think could be one of the most important Roman settlements in Spain, under the present-day town of Jimena de la Frontera.

Three Spanish archaeologists stand at the top of what is known locally as the Moorish castle looking at detailed plans.

As well as showing the extent of their latest excavations, the drawings reveal that the hilltop town has some of the most significant and virtually untouched Roman remains in the region showing the town to have been a major settlement and shedding light on the power structure of the occupying force of the time.

The Castillo de Jimena de la Frontera is the original settlement of the current population of Jimena containing traces of an ancient and multi-cultural history, yet its existence lay hidden for many centuries until a retired archaeologist who used to walk up to the castle on a daily basis spotted signs of early Roman occupation.

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Decapitated body with head between legs found among unusual Roman burials at new armed forces site

A decapitated body with its head placed between its legs and two skeletons buried in rare fully extended positions have been discovered during an excavation at a proposed £250 million armed forces training facility in Hampshire, where archaeologists say the late Roman community may have been rooted in tribal tradition.

At least 11 burials have been found at Worthy Down, notable for their “surprisingly wide” range of interment practices and typically hobnailed Roman footwear and boots.

“The contrast between how these Romans lived and how modern service personnel will live in the new facilities we’re providing is stark,” said Stuart Adamson, the Project Manager who oversaw the preparatory groundwork for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

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23 Roman skeletons found in Lincoln

The discovery of 23 Roman skeletons in Lincoln is one of the most significant finds in the city in recent years, say archaeologists. 

Flats are due to be built on the site where the skeletons were found
[Credit: City of Lincoln Council] 

Despite being a major Roman colony, few burial sites from the era have been unearthed compared to places like York or Winchester. 

Now experts say they hope to "fill a huge gap our knowledge" about people who lived there in ancient times. 

The dig took place in the Newland area, ahead of the construction of flats.

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Julius Caesar battlefield unearthed in Netherlands

Archaeologists say they have proven for the first time that Julius Caesar set foot on what is now Dutch soil, destroying two Germanic tribes in a battle which left around 150,000 people dead.

 Hundreds of bones have been found at the site, which were analysed using  radiocarbon dating [Credit: VU University] 

The two tribes were massacred in the fighting with the Roman emperor in 55 BC, on a battle site now at Kessel, in the southern province of Brabant. 

A wealth of skeletons, spearheads, swords and a helmet have been dug up at the site over the past three decades.

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Sunken haul of Roman fish sauce found off Italy

A large Roman ship that sank full of fish sauce has been discovered of Italy's coast. 

Photo:Boris Horvat/AFP

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Roman vessel laden with 3000 jars of delicious Roman fish sauce – or garum – on the seabed off the coast of Italy.

The find was presented on Thursday by archaeologists, who spent almost two years searching for the 25-meter wreck in the deep blue waters five miles of the coast of Alassio, in the northeastern Liguria region.

"It's an exceptional find that dates to the first or second century AD," Dr. Simon Luca Trigona, who led the team, told The Local.

“It's one of just five 'deep sea' Roman vessels ever to be found in the Mediterranean and the first one to be found off the coast of Liguria. We know it was carrying a large cargo of garum when it sank." 

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Dutch archaeologists find proof of Julius Caesar-led massacre in the Netherlands

Dutch archaeologists claim they have proof Roman emperor Julius Caesar spent time in what is now present day the Netherlands, after finding remains of a battle site near Oss in Brabant. 

They say they have found the location where Caesar fought against two German tribes in 55 BC and that this is the first battle field in the Netherlands. Archaeologist Nico Roymans of Amsterdam’s VU University, says this is the first time the presence of Julius Caesar on Dutch soil has been proved. Until now, the site of the battle, which Caesar describes in his account of the Gallic wars, De Bello Gallico, was unknown.

Read more at DutchNews.nl: Dutch archaeologists find proof of Julius Caesar-led massacre in the Netherlands http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/12/dutch-archaeologists-find-proof-of-julius-caesar-led-massacre-in-the-netherlands/

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New evidence of Roman, medieval Leicester unearthed

Archaeologists from University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) have unearthed new evidence of Roman and medieval Leicester after recently completing the excavation of two areas at the former Southgates Bus Depot, on the corner of Southgates and Peacock Lane in the centre of Leicester. 

Archaeologists excavate large areas of medieval and post-medieval  pitting in the backyards of properties running along Southgates  [Credit: University of Leicester] 

Archaeologists, led by John Thomas and Mathew Morris of ULAS, have been investigating a series of medieval and post-medieval backyards dating from the 12th century through to the 16th century. These are likely to be associated with densely packed houses and shops which would have once fronted onto the important medieval street of Southgates.

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Roman coins issued by Mark Antony found in Welsh field

A haul of valuable coins issued by Roman general Mark Antony have been discovered in a Welsh field - more than 2,000 years after they were buried. 

The coins issued by Mark Antony were discovered in a Welsh field  [Credit: Wales News Service] 

It comes as archaeologists claimed to have found a small Roman fort on Anglesey, North Wales, in what has been described as a "ground-breaking" discovery. 

The coins - unearthed by two friends out walking - have been hailed by historians as "a significant find". 

Dr Richard Annear, 65, and John Player, 43, found the silver coins dating back to 31 BC buried in a field near the small village of Wick, South Wales. 

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2,000 years of Cologne's lethal Roman mother

She married her uncle, killed him and gave birth to both the Emperor Nero and the city of Cologne. On November 26th, a special exhibition opens in the cathedral city's Romano-Germanic Museum. It's the 2,000th birthday of Agrippina, the infamous "Mother of Cologne."

"I've not written a biography of Agrippina," author Mario Kramp told Germany news agency DPA.

Instead, he's been looking into the legacy and myth of this infamous Roman empress. And his conclusion?

"Since the Middle Ages, most of Europe has agreed that Agrippina was a monster," he said.

But in Cologne, it's a different story.

"Here, she's regarded as the founder of the city – so she can't be labelled a monster."

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Early Roman era fort found on Welsh island

Archaeologists say they have made a ground-breaking discovery on Anglesey. Experts have found what appears to be a small Roman fort on land near Cemlyn Bay and close to the Wylfa power station,. 

An new Roman era 'fortlet' has been found on Anglesey  [Credit: Gwynedd Archeological Trust] 

The 'fortlet' is thought to date back to the first century AD and is surrounded by a circular ditch which has not been seen anywhere else in Wales. 

And the Gwynedd Archaelogical Trust says the discovery is particularly exciting because it is the first early Roman military site to be found on the island. 

The conquest of Anglesey was famously described two thousand years ago in lurid detail by the Roman senator and historian Tacitus.

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Hoard of Roman silver coins found buried in Welsh field

The haul has been declared treasure and described by experts as a 'significant' find

A hoard of coins issued by Roman general Mark Antony have been discovered in a Welsh field Photo: National Museum Wales/Wales News

A hoard of silver coins issued by Roman general Mark Antony, discovered in a Welsh field more than 2,000 years after they were buried, have been declared treasure.

The coins, which experts believe could be worth tens of thousands of pounds, were found by two friends out walking with metal detectors near the village of Wick, Vale of Glamorgan.

One of the pair, consultant psychiatrist Dr Richard Annear, 65, reported the find to curators who were able to lift a small pot containing the coins out of the ground, according to the South Wales Evening Post.

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What did the Romans do for us?: Roman road unearthed under Dorchester car park

ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations at a building site in Dorchester have uncovered remnants of the main Roman road through the town.

Experts have been digging at Bennett’s Court car park off Colliton Street, where two homes are being built as part of the redevelopment of the Stratton House former council office campus.

Mike Trevarthen, Peter Bellamy and their team from Terrain Archaeology have been working at the site for around three weeks and have discovered some fascinating traces of the town’s rich history dating back to its time as the Roman town of Durnovaria.

Mr Trevarthen said: “We have dug up the edges of what appears to be the main north to south street within the Roman town.

“We have got part of the road make up and several phases of road enlargement.

“We have also got the roadside drainage ditches.”

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Italy roadworks unearth frescoed Roman room

A 2000-year old frescoed room has been discovered under a busy Roman street. Photo:Archaeological Superintendency Rome

Routine roadworks to install a gas pipeline under a busy street in central Rome have brought to light a 2000-year-old room plastered with frescoes.

The find was made three days ago, when workmen started to dig a hole for the pipeline in Via Alfonso Lamora.

As they began to remove pieces of earth from the road, a large chasm opened up in the road extending down into the dark, four meters below.

At first, the workmen thought it was an ordinary sinkhole and called in speleologists - or cave experts - to investigate. However, when the experts reached the bottom of the large cavern they were surprised to find themselves standing in the frescoed room of a once luxurious Roman home.

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1,700-Year-Old Ring Depicts Nude Cupid, the Homewrecking God

An intricately carved gold ring containing a stone engraved with an image of Cupid — a god associated with erotic love — has been discovered near the village of Tangley in the United Kingdom.

In the engraving, Cupid (also known by his Greek name, "Eros") is shown standing completely nude while holding a torch with one hand. The ring dates back around 1,700 years, to a time when the Roman Empirecontrolled England. The ring was discovered by an amateur metal detectorist. Researchers who studied it say that it may have been worn by a man or a woman and is engraved with spiral designs that contain bead-shaped spheres.

The image of Cupid is engraved on a stone made of nicolo, a type of onyx that is dark at the base and bluish at the top. The image on the stone "depicts a standing naked adolescent with crossed legs, leaning on a short spiral column; the short wings which sprout from his shoulders identify him as Cupid," Sally Worrell, national finds adviser with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, and John Pearce, senior lecturer in archaeology at King's College London, wrote in an article published recently in the journal Britannia. [6 Most Tragic Love Stories in History]

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4,000 coins found in Roman treasure trove in Swiss orchard

A trove of more than 4,000 bronze and silver coins dating back to ancient Rome, uncovered this summer in the orchard of a fruit and vegetable farmer, has been described as one of the biggest treasures of this kind found in Switzerland.

The huge hoard of coins, buried about 1,700 years ago and weighing 15kg (33lb), was discovered in Ueken, in Switzerland’s northern canton of Aargau, after the farmer spotted some shimmering green coins on a molehill in his cherry orchard.

He guessed the coins were Roman, following an archaeological discovery a few months earlier, of remains of an early Roman settlement in the nearby town of Frick. He contacted the regional archaeological service , which later labelled it one of the largest such finds for Switzerland.

On Thursday the archaeological service announced that after months of digs, 4,166 coins had been found at the site, most in excellent condition.

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Large Roman villa unearthed in Kent

A Roman villa twice the size of Lullingstone's has been unearthed in Otford. The incredible find – revealed by the Chronicle this week – was discovered by amateur archaeologists digging on land near Otford Palace. 

Excavation work has started on the Roman villa at Otford
[Credit: West Kent Archaeological Society] 

The villa is thought to be the second largest Roman find of its kind in Kent and would have been occupied by a man of wealth and importance around the time of the Emperor Magnus Maximus. 

Chairman of West Kent Archaeological Society, Kevin Fromings said he had been waiting half his "archaeological life" for such a find. 

"It is big. There is Darenth Roman villa at Sutton-at-Hone which was excavated in the 60s and 70s – but this is certainly the next biggest in Kent.

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Plongées archéologiques dans la Charente : l’Inrap réalise un diagnostic subaquatique à Saintes

Avant le projet d’aménagement d’un appontement pour une péniche-restaurant sur la Charente (à hauteur de la place Bassompierre), la municipalité de Saintes a effectué une demande de diagnostic archéologique. Sur prescription de l’État (Drac Poitou-Charentes - Service régional de l'Archéologie), une équipe de cinq archéologues-plongeurs de l’Inrap intervient donc du 16 au 27 novembre 2015 sur une zone de 760 m².

Une zone au fort potentiel archéologique

Le projet d’aménagement est situé sur la rive droite de la Charente, à proximité immédiate de l’axe routier reliant dans l’Antiquité Lyon, capitale des Gaules, à Saintes, nouvelle capitale de la Gaule Aquitaine. 
L’arc dit de Germanicus, érigé dans les 20 premières années de notre ère, était alors situé à l’entrée du pont romain et marquait ainsi l’entrée de la cité antique de Mediolanum Santonum (Saintes), implantée sur la rive gauche. 

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DNA study finds London was ethnically diverse from start

A DNA study has confirmed that London was an ethnically diverse city from its very beginnings, BBC News has learned.

The analysis reveals what some of the very first Londoners looked like and where they came from.

These initial results come from four people: two had origins from outside Europe, another was from continental Europe and one was a native Briton.

The researchers plan to analyse more of the 20,000 human remains stored at theMuseum of London.

According to Caroline McDonald, who is a senior curator at the museum, London was a cosmopolitan city from the moment it was created following the Roman invasion 2,000 years ago.

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Pieces of Roman building reunited after 2,000 years

Two pieces from a Roman building sign destroyed 2000 years ago, possibly by the legendary Boudica, have been reunited thanks to a remarkable discovery made by the University of Reading. 

Fragments of inscribed marble [Credit: University of Reading] 

During the last season of excavating Silchester Roman Town in 2013, Reading archaeologists found a fragment of stone inscribed with the letters ‘ba'. Expert analysis has now astonishingly revealed that this matches a piece with the letters ‘At' which was found at Silchester in 1891, and is now part of Reading Museum's Silchester Collection. 

Together these read At(e)ba(tum) -  'of the Atrebates' - the French tribe who likely founded Silchester in 1st Century BC.  The two pieces were found approximately ten metres apart in the SE quarter of Insula III, a block of the Roman Town. They are probably from a slab of marble from Purbeck in Dorset, which was either a sign commemorating the construction of a significant building, or a dedication to a deity.

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Fragments of Roman building sign discovered at Silchester

The two pieces were found approximately ten metres apart in the SE quarter of Insula III. Image: University of Reading

Reading University archaeologists discovered a fragment of marble inscribed with the letters ‘ba’ during the final season of excavating Silchester Roman Town in 2013 (Hampshire, southeast England). This fragment matches another piece with the letters ‘At’ which was found at Silchester in 1891, and is now part of Reading Museum’s Silchester Collection.

Together these read At(e)ba(tum) –  ‘of the Atrebates’ – the French tribe who likely founded Silchester in 1st Century BC.  The two pieces were found approximately ten metres apart in the SE quarter of Insula III, a block of the Roman Town. They are probably from a slab of marble from Purbeck in Dorset, which was either a sign commemorating the construction of a significant building, or a dedication to a deity.

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Roman amphitheatre found in Tuscany

Italian archaeologists have unearthed remains of an oval structure that might represent the most important Roman amphitheater finding over the last century. 

The amphitheatre emerges in Volterra  [Credit: Paolo Nannini] 

The foundations of the amphitheater, which is oval-shaped like the much larger arena in the heart of Rome, were found in the town of Volterra and might date back to the 1st century AD. Amphitheaters like these were used during Roman times to feature events including gladiator combats and wild animal fights. 

The archaeologists estimate this structure measured some 262 by 196 feet, although only a small part of it has been unearthed.

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Explore 4,500 British Museum artifacts with Google's help

The British Museum in London holds an array of beautiful and historically significant artifacts including the Rosetta Stone, which helped historians to understand the ancient hieroglyphics used in Egypt. Today, the organisation is teaming up with Google to bring its various collections online as part of the Google Cultural Institute. The search giant has been developing this resource for years by continually visiting and archiving exhibits around the world. With the British Museum, an extra 4,500 objects and artworks are being added to its collection, complete with detailed photos and descriptions.

The most important addition is arguably the Admonitions Scroll, a Chinese text which dates back to the 6th-century. The piece is incredibly fragile, so it's only visible in the museum for a few months each year. Through the Cultural Institute, you can take a peek whenever you like -- and because it's been captured at "gigapixel" resolution you can zoom in to see some extraordinary details. All of the objects are searchable on Google's site, along with a couple of curated collections about ancient Egypt and Celtic life in the British Iron Age.

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Archaeologists uncover Roman roads from ancient Cyprus

Using photogrammetric technology, archaeologists imaged the surviving remains of Neo Paphos' ancient theatre

A team of Australian archaeologists has uncovered evidence of Roman roads and colonnades in Nea Paphos, Cyprus' ancient capital city.

A team of Australian archaeologists led by the University of Sydney’s Dr Craig Barker has uncovered evidence of Roman roads and colonnades in Nea Paphos, Cyprus’ capital city during the Hellenistic and Roman periods (c.300 BC-400 AD).

The University of Sydney team has been excavating at Nea Paphos for two decades under the auspices of Cyprus’ Department of Antiquities.  In that time it has uncovered and studied a theatre used for performance and spectacle for more than 600 years until its destruction in AD 365.

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'Roman villa' site in UK saved from housing

Land thought to contain important archaeological remains has been saved from being used for housing after a mystery benefactor bought it for a seven-figure sum. 

The Roman villa was first discovered to the east of Southwell Minster  in the 18th century [Credit: Google/Infoterra Ltd/Bluesky] 

The site in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is next to where remains of a Roman villa have previously been discovered. The land has now been given to nearby Southwell Minster, which will act as custodian. It can only be used for educational, conservation and cultural purposes. 

The acting dean Canon Nigel Coates said: "It's a benefaction we never anticipated and he or she has been extraordinarily generous in giving us this site. It's their wish to remain anonymous but we do hope that in the future the connection with Southwell and the person's identity will be made known."

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Hidden passageway once used by Roman emperors opens to public for first time

A vast underground passageway that allowed Rome’s emperors to pass unseen from their hilltop palaces to the Forum is to be opened to the public for the first time on Wednesday.

The 2,000-year-old “imperial ramp” descended from the top of the Palatine Hill, where successive emperors built lavish palaces, down to the temples, market places and courts of the Forum in the valley below, from where the Roman Empire was governed.

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Ancient Roman Mosaic Found in Tuscany

Italian archaeologists digging in a small Tuscan village have unearthed part of what they believe is a large and impressive ancient Roman mosaic.

Laying in a private property next to a local road in the village Capraia e Limite, the mosaic features two different designs. One, dating to the second half of the 4th century AD, features geometric patterns framed by floral motifs, the other, dating to the 5th century AD, boasts octagons decorated with animals, flowers and a human bust.

The large mosaic graced the floor of a luxurious Roman villa that stood in the Tuscan countryside for four centuries, from the 1st to the beginning of the 6th century AD.

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Quand Poitiers s'appelait Limonum

L’archéologie urbaine étudie l’histoire des villes. Fouilles après fouilles, elle accumule les informations qui permettent de comprendre comment ces villes sont nées, comment elles ont évolué. Ce dossier vous invite à découvrir ce que l’on sait de Limonum pendant l’Antiquité, de la fin de l’époque gauloise à l’arrivée des Francs.

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'Roman village' discovered in SW Germany

During their first Gernsheim dig last year, Frankfurt University archaeologists suspected that a small Roman settlement must have also existed here in the Hessian Ried. Now they have discovered clear relics of a Roman village, built in part on the foundations of the fort after the soldiers left. This probably occurred around 120 AD. At the time the cohort (about 500 soldiers) was transferred from the Rhine to the Limes, and a period of peace lasting until about 260 AD began for the Roman village (which was part of the Roman province of Germania Superior) with the "Pax Romana." 

Aerial image of the foundation of a Roman stone building. Length of the  leveling staff (White) at the upper edge of the Picture: 5 meters  [Credit: Dennis Braks] 

Until a year ago, little was known about Roman Gernsheim even though Roman finds have repeatedly been made here since the 19th century. "We now know that from the 1st to the 3rd century an important village-like settlement or 'vicus' must have existed here, comparable to similar villages already proven to have existed in Groß-Gerau, Dieburg or Ladenburg," explains dig leader Dr. Thomas Maurer from the Goethe University, who has been going from Frankfurt to Southern Hesse for years in search of traces. He has published his findings in a major journal about the North Hessian Ried during the Roman imperial period.

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Excavation of Rome home shows city bigger than thought

An archaeologist watches a 6th-century B.C. residence that was discovered in Rome, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2015. Archaeologists have discovered a 6th-century B.C. residence under a palazzo in central Rome, saying that it proves the ancient city was much bigger than previously thought. Officials said Wednesday that the area on the Quirinale Hill had long been thought to have only been used as a necropolis, with ancient Rome's residential zone further south and centered around the Roman Forum. (Angelo Carconi/ANSA via AP)

Archaeologists have discovered a 6th-century B.C. residence under a palazzo in central Rome, saying that it proves the ancient city was much bigger than previously thought.

Officials said Wednesday that the area on the Quirinale Hill had long been thought to have only been used as a necropolis, with ancient Rome's residential zone further south and centered around the Roman Forum.

But archaeologists excavating a palazzo on the hill said they discovered a well-preserved rectangular home, complete with wooden supports and a roof, proving that the area was also used for residential purposes.

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Roman temple dig under way at Keynsham cemetery

Fresh excavation work has begun at Keynsham cemetery, near Bristol, on the site of a possible Roman temple. 

During the early 1920s elaborate mosaic floors like this were found  by workmen cutting new graves [Credit: Freta Turland] 

In 1877 substantial remains of a large Roman building were uncovered by workers building mortuary chapels. 

Archaeologists have spent two years conducting geophysical surveys in part of the old Victorian burial ground. 

They believe they have located part of a religious healing sanctuary which could be connected to the recently identified Roman town of Trajectus. 

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Archaeologists find ancient storage jar under Roman road

IPPLEPEN, England, July 27 (UPI) -- The excavation of an ancient Roman road that once ran through the British Isles has yielded a unique archeological find. Researchers with the University of Exeter has uncovered fragments of an ancient storage jar.

Archaeologists have been excavating the road, complete with potholes and wheel ruts, for nearly a year. Their work has offered new insight into how the communities of Roman Britain functioned.

The latest clue as to what life might have been like 2,000 years ago, near Ipplepen, England, is a pottery fragment -- a large piece of what's referred to as an amphora.

The storage jar was likely used to carry food stuffs across Europe, from Rome to "Britannia." Archaeologists say the jar likely carried olive oil or wine.

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Rare ancient Roman frescos found in south of France

Girl playing a harp

Julien Boislève, Inrap/Musée Départemental Arles Antique

Extremely rare ancient Roman frescos, comparable to those found in the Villa of Mysteries in Pompeii, have been uncovered in the historic southern French city of Arles. Photos of the ancient painting were released Friday after the mural from a villa bedroom was found in April.

The first full mural in the Pompeii style in France from between 20 and 70 BC has been found in Arles.

Archaeologists from the Museum of Ancient Arles collections have been working to recover the remains of the Roman villa since 2014.

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You(r) Archaeology – portraying the past

“You(r) Archaeology – portraying the past” - A European competition to express your view.

What is archaeology? An adventure? A pain in the neck? The appeal of the past, the magic of marvellous sites, the boredom of a dusty museum? Probably all of these together, and still more.

Up until July 31st 2015, all European citizens can answer the question and tell us about their idea of archaeology by entering a drawing, painting, photo or video in the European competition “You(r) Archaeology”.

Further details...

Roman shipwreck found off coast of Sardinia

Italian police released a video on Tuesday (June 23) showing a well-preserved ancient Roman ship that was recently discovered in waters off the coast of Sardinia. 

The well-preserved ancient Roman ship was found in the strait that separates  Sardinia from Corsica [Credit: Polizia di Stato] 

In the video police officers were seen approaching the shipwreck as fish swam in the clear seas surrounding the Italian island. 

Italian police said their historical discovery was made in collaboration with the Archaeological Superintendence, the country's ministerial institute for archaeology.

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Award-winning Maryport Roman Temples Project begins its final dig at Hadrian's Wall

This will be the final year of a five-year project which has done much to deepen understanding of “one of the most important Roman cult complexes” at Hadrian's Wall

The final opportunity to visit the award-winning annual dig at the Maryport Roman Temples Project and learn about the excavation directly from lectures by the archaeologists involved has begun in Cumbria. 

The eight-week dig aims to explore Roman Maryport’s complex religious landscape and to learn more about the famous altars found at the site, on display in nearby Senhouse Roman Museum.  

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